Mario
This article is about the Nintendo character. For the franchise featuring him, see Super Mario and Mario (franchise). For other uses, see Mario (given name) and Mario (disambiguation). Mario (Japanese: マリオ Hepburn: Mario, pronounced maɾi.o; English: /ˈmɑːrioʊ, ˈmær-/, Italian: ˈmaːrjo) is a fictional character in the Mario video game franchise, owned by Nintendo and created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Acting as the company's mascot, as well as being the eponymous protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation. Depicted as a short, pudgy, Italian plumber who resides in the Mushroom Kingdom, his adventures generally center upon rescuing Princess Peach from the Koopa villain Bowser. His fraternal twin brother and sidekick is Luigi. With more than 500 million units sold worldwide, the overall Mario franchise is the best-selling video game franchise of all time.12 Outside of the Super Mario platform series, other Mario genres include the Mario Kart racing series, sports games such as the Mario Tennis and Mario Golf series, role-playing games such as Mario & Luigi, Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario, and educational games such as Mario Is Missing!, Mario's Time Machine and Mario Teaches Typing. The franchise has branched into several media, including television shows, film, comics, and licensed merchandise. Since 1990, Mario has been voiced by Charles Martinet. 1996–2002 Super Mario 64 (1996) featured Mario's first 3D rendering. Mario made his 3D debut in Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64.25 Princess Peach sends Mario a letter inviting him to join her at her castle for cake;26 however, when he arrives, Mario discovers that Bowser has invaded the castle and imprisoned the princess and her servants within it using the castle's 120 Power Stars. Many of the castle's paintings are portals to other worlds, in which Bowser's minions guard the stars. Mario explores the castle and other worlds to recover the stars. He gains access to more painting portals as he recovers more stars,27 and he traverses three obstacle courses that lead him to battles with Bowser. Defeating Bowser the first two times earns Mario keys that open new levels of the castle,28 while the final battle releases Peach, who rewards Mario by baking the cake that she promised him.2829 In Super Mario Sunshine, Mario, Toadsworth, and Princess Peach take a vacation to Isle Delfino, a tropical island. A person resembling Mario, known as "Shadow Mario", vandalizes and pollutes the entire island using a magic paintbrush. The vandalism has caused the Shine Sprites to flee from the island's main city, Delfino Plaza, and blanket the island in darkness. Blamed for the mess, Mario is arrested by the island authorities and ordered to clean up Isle Delfino. Mario is equipped with FLUDD, a robotic hosing device invented by Professor E. Gadd, which he uses to clean up the pollution and collect the Shine Sprites.30 Meanwhile, Peach is kidnapped by Shadow Mario, who reveals himself to be Bowser Jr., one of Bowser's children, having stolen the paintbrush from Professor E. Gadd. Mario eventually confronts Bowser and Bowser Jr. and rescues the princess. With the island cleaned up, Mario and Peach begin their vacation.31 2006–present Mario went to 2.5D in New Super Mario Bros. While Mario and Peach take a walk together through the Mushroom Kingdom, Bowser Jr. kidnaps Peach and flees.32 Mario gives chase, venturing through eight worlds. Mario eventually catches up, defeating both Bowser and Bowser Jr. and rescuing Peach.33 In Super Mario Galaxy, Mario is invited by Princess Peach to the centennial Star Festival in the Mushroom Kingdom.34 Upon arrival, Bowser invades the kingdom and rips Peach's castle from its foundations and lifts it into outer space. After failing to prevent the princess from being kidnapped, Mario meets star-like creatures called Lumas and their companion, Rosalina. Rosalina tells Mario that Bowser has stolen the Power Stars, the source of power for Rosalina's mobile observatory, and has taken Peach to the center of the universe. Mario then travels to various galaxies to reclaim the Power Stars to restore power to the observatory and reclaim Princess Peach.35 In New Super Mario Bros. Wii, another 2.5D game, Mario, Luigi, and two Toads are attending Princess Peach's birthday party when Bowser Jr. and the other seven Koopalings ambush the princess and kidnap her. Mario, Luigi, and the two Toads chase after them across eight worlds, defeating each Koopaling as they progress. The quartet eventually confronts Bowser, defeating him and saving the princess. In Super Mario Galaxy 2, Bowser, who has transformed himself into a giant using the Power Stars, attacks the Mushroom Kingdom and abducts Peach, taking her to the center of the universe. With the help of the Lumas, Mario pilots Starship Mario, a mobile planet in the shape of his head, in order to travel to various galaxies and gather the Power Stars, used to fuel the ship. After multiple battles against both Bowser and Bowser Jr., Mario eventually arrives at Bowser's lair at the center of the universe, where he defeats him and rescues the princess.37 In 2012, Mario returned in New Super Mario Bros. 2 where he collects several coins scattered across the Mushroom Kingdom in addition to saving Princess Peach from the evil clutches of Bowser and the Koopalings. Mario returns to defeat Bowser and his minions in New Super Mario Bros. U. Mario is one of the playable characters in Super Mario 3D World, where he has average running speed and jump height compared to other characters. Mario is the protagonist of the Nintendo Switch game Super Mario Odyssey, where the character Cappy replaces Mario's traditional hat, allowing Mario to throw it like a long-range weapon, and "capture" enemies to gain their abilities. Other Mario games Mario games of other genres include various Game & Watch games; Mario Pinball Land, a pinball game for the Game Boy Advance;38 various educational games; and the Dr. Mario puzzle video game, (with Dr. Mario itself first released in 1990).39 In these games, Dr. Mario throws vitamins that the player must align to destroy the viruses that populate the playing field.39 1996's Super Mario RPG is the first Mario role-playing game;] ten games have followed, including five in the Paper Mario series (Paper Mario for the Nintendo 64, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for the GameCube, Super Paper Mario for the Wii, Paper Mario: Sticker Star for the Nintendo 3DS, and Paper Mario: Color Splash for the Wii U) and six in the Mario & Luigi series (Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for the Game Boy Advance, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story for the Nintendo DS, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions for the Nintendo 3DS). Several other sub-series of Mario video games, especially those inspired from sports, have been released. The Mario Kart franchise, which began with Super Mario Kart for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992, is the most successful and longest-running kart racing franchise. Other Mario sports games include the Camelot-developed series Mario Golf and Mario Tennis, and, respectively, the baseball and soccer games Mario Superstar Baseball and Super Mario Strikers. In 1999, Hudson Soft developed the Mario Party series, which began on the Nintendo 64. The games revolve around a set of minigames and are playable with up to four players. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, released for both Nintendo DS and Wii, is a collection of 24 events based on the 2008 Summer Olympic Games from Beijing, in which characters from Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series compete with Mario characters. This was followed in 2009 by Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games on both systems, based on the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Two more sports games for the Wii were released in 2011, Mario Sports Mix and the third Mario & Sonic game, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games while the latter was released for the Nintendo 3DS in February 2012, which is based on the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The fourth edition of the Mario & Sonic series for the Wii U is called Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, which is based on the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. A fifth title, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, which is based on the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, was released in 2016 for the Nintendo 3DS, Wii U and Arcade. In other media Apart from his platformer and spin-off game appearances, Mario has made guest appearances in non-''Mario'' games, such as Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, where Mario is a referee.42 Mario appears as a playable character in NBA Street V343 and SSX on Tour.44 He makes countless cameo appearances in many forms in many games, such as portraits and statues in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes.45 Television The first appearance of Mario in media other than games was Saturday Supercade, an animated television series produced by Ruby-Spears Productions in 1983. Each episode was composed of several shorter segments featuring video game characters from the golden age of video arcade games. Mario (voiced by Peter Cullen) appeared in Donkey Kong segments where he and Pauline tried to recapture Donkey Kong. Mario stars in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, played by "Captain" Lou Albano. Mario stars in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World, voiced by Walker Boone. Film Mario appears in the live-action film Super Mario Bros. as played by Bob Hoskins. Mario finds himself in an alternate universe in which dinosaurs rule where he must save the Earth from invasion. The film was a commercial failure at the box office.46 Outside the original games, television shows, and film, Mario has influenced the creation of a line of licensed merchandise and has appeared in popular culture. The Nintendo Comics System series, along with the Nintendo Adventure Books, were created due to Mario as well.[citation needed] Theme parks Mario will appear at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka in the upcoming section of Super Nintendo World, which is scheduled to open in 2020 in time of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. One of the rides will be themed to Mario Kart. Universal Parks & Resorts also has plans to import Super Nintendo World to Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles, California and Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida. Characteristics Mario is depicted as a portly plumber who lives in the fictional land of the Mushroom Kingdom with Luigi, his younger, taller brother.34748 In the television series and film, Mario and Luigi are originally from Brooklyn, New York.47 Little is known of Mario's childhood, though the infant version of Mario, Baby Mario, first appeared in 1995 in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, and has often appeared in Nintendo sports games since then. Baby Mario has a major role along with Baby Luigi in Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time and appears in Yoshi's Island DS. He, along with the adult Mario, is voiced by Charles Martinet.4950 He wears a longsleeved red shirt, a pair of blue overalls with yellow buttons, brown shoes, white gloves and a red cap with a red "M" printed on a white circle. In Donkey Kong, he wore a pair of red overalls, and a blue shirt. In Super Mario Bros., he wore a brown shirt with red overalls. He has blue eyes, and, like Luigi, has brown hair, and a dark brown or black mustache. This consistent difference in color is attributed to being a relic from designing the characters for their original platforms, wherein certain features were actively distinguished while others had to be curtailed due to technical limitations.51 In a 2005 interview, Miyamoto stated that Mario's physical age was about 24–25 years old.52 Surname Nintendo did not initially reveal Mario's full name. In a 1989 interview, his full name was stated not to be "Mario Mario" though it may be inferred from the title of the Mario Bros. series.53 The first notable use of "Mario Mario" is in the 1993 live-action film adaptation. This was again used in two of Prima's official strategy guides, in 200054 for Mario Party 2 and in 200355 for Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga. In 2012, after Charles Martinet voiced Mario declaring himself "Mario Mario" at the San Diego Comic-Con,56 the next month Satoru Iwata said he had no last name,57 which Shigeru Miyamoto agreed with the month after.58 Two months after Iwata's death in July 2015, Miyamoto changed his stance September 2015 at the Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary festival, asserting that his name was indeed Mario Mario.5960 Occupation and hobbies Mario's occupation is plumbing, though in the original Donkey Kong games he is a carpenter.61 Mario has had several other occupations: in the Dr. Mario series of puzzle games, which debuted in 1990,39 Mario is portrayed as a medical physician named "Dr. Mario";62 in the Game Boy game Mario's Picross, Mario is an archaeologist; and in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, Mario is the president of a profitable toy-making company.63 Mario is an athlete in various Mario sports titles including Mario Sports Mix, Mario Strikers Charged, and Mario Tennis Aces; as well as a kart racer in the Mario Kart series. Mario usually saves Princess Peach and the Mushroom Kingdom and purges antagonists, such as Bowser, from various areas. Mario has gained fame in the Mushroom Kingdom due to his heroic deeds, as shown in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, where the brothers are referred to as "superstars".64 In September 2017, Nintendo confirmed on their official Japanese profile for the character that Mario was no longer considered a plumber, most likely due to his various occupations and hobbies.65 However as of March 2018, the Japanese profile has since been changed to state that Mario's occupation is still a plumber.66 Relationships Since his first game, Mario has usually had the role of saving the damsel in distress.47 Originally, he had to rescue his girlfriend Pauline in Donkey Kong from Donkey Kong.67 Pauline was soon replaced by a new damsel in distress, Princess Peach, in Super Mario Bros.,3 but returned in the Game Boy remake of Donkey Kong in 1994, and in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis in 2006, although the character is now described as "Mario's friend".68 Mario has rescued Princess Peach multiple times since Super Mario Bros.47 In a role reversal, Peach rescues Mario in Super Princess Peach.69 Mario rescued Princess Daisy of Sarasaraland in Super Mario Land,70 but Luigi seems to be more linked to her. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, the text explaining Daisy's trophy states that "after her appearance in Mario Golf, gossips portrayed her as Luigi's answer to Mario's Peach".71 Luigi is Mario's younger fraternal twin brother.48 He is a companion in the Mario games,48 and the character whom the second player controls in two-player sessions of many of the video games,72 though he occasionally rescues Mario, as seen in Mario Is Missing! and Luigi's Mansion.73 Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins for the Game Boy saw the arrival of Wario, Mario's greedy counterpart, who is often Mario's antagonist or an antihero.74 Yoshi is a dinosaur whose species is also named Yoshi.75 They vary in color, though the original Yoshi is green.75 Yoshi serves as Mario's steed in games such as Super Mario World,75 and is depicted as an independent character in games like Super Mario Kart and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Abilities During the development of Donkey Kong, Mario was known as Jumpman.3 Jumping—both to access places and as an offensive move—is a common gameplay element in Mario games, especially the Super Mario series. By the time Super Mario RPG was released, jumping became such a signature act of Mario that the player was often tasked with jumping to prove to non-player characters that he was Mario. Mario's most commonly portrayed form of attack is jumping to stomp on the heads of enemies, first used in Super Mario Bros. This jump-stomp move may entirely crush smaller enemies on the stage, and usually deals damage to larger ones, sometimes causing secondary effects.3 This attack often enables Mario to knock the turtle-like Koopa Troopas into or out of their shells, which can be used as weapons.3 Subsequent games have elaborated on Mario's jumping-related abilities. Super Mario World added the ability to spin-jump, which allows Mario to break blocks beneath him. The Game Boy version of Donkey Kong allows Mario to jump higher with consecutive jumps, and perform a back-flip. In Super Mario 64, Mario gains new jumping abilities such as a sideways somersault; a ground pound, which is a high-impact downward thrusting motion; and the "Wall Kick", which propels him upwards by kicking off walls. Power-ups Mario seen wearing the Tanooki Suit. The suit is derived from the Japanese raccoon dog, tanuki. Mario uses items, which give him various powers, and differ between the games he is in. The first power-up Mario used was the Hammer in Donkey Kong.67 Super Mario Bros. introduced the basic three power-ups that have become staples for the series, especially the 2D games — the Super Mushroom, which causes Mario to grow larger; the Fire Flower, which allows Mario to throw fireballs; and the Starman, which gives Mario temporary invincibility. These powers have appeared regularly throughout the series.3 Throughout the series' history, there have been several kinds of Mushroom power-ups, including the 1-up Mushroom, which gives Mario an extra life; the Poison Mushroom, which causes Mario to either shrink or die;76 the Mega Mushroom, which causes Mario to grow very large; and the Mini Mushroom, which causes Mario to shrink.77 A reoccurring power-up throughout the series is an item that gives Mario the ability of flight. The first of this type was introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3: one power-up, which gives Mario a raccoon suit, is called the Super Leaf,78 while another is called the Tanooki Suit (a transliteration of tanuki) and grants Mario the ability to fly or turn into a statue.79 In Super Mario World, an item called the Cape Feather was introduced that gave Mario a cape.80 In Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, a carrot was available that gave Mario rabbit ears that allowed him to fly,79 and in Super Mario 64, Mario could acquire an item called the Wing Cap, which temporarily gave him the ability of flight.81 Super Mario Sunshine introduces a pump-water spraying device named "F.L.U.D.D.", which abilities included spraying water and hovering.82 Super Mario Galaxy introduced new power-ups, including the Bee Mushroom, which turned Mario into a bee and allowed him to fly temporarily; the Boo Mushroom, which turned Mario into a ghost, allowing him to float and pass through walls; the Spring Mushroom, which encased Mario in a spring, allowing him to jump higher; and the Ice Flower, which allowed the player to temporarily walk on water and lava without sinking or taking damage.83 Super Mario Galaxy 2 introduced more power ups, including the Cloud Flower which allows Mario to create platforms in midair and Rock Mario, which transforms Mario into a boulder that could be used to break through barriers.84 New Super Mario Bros. Wii updated the Ice Flower, which allows Mario to shoot ice balls that temporally freeze enemies; and introduced the Propeller Mushroom, which allows him to fly; as well as the Penguin Suit, which allows Mario to easily traverse ice and swim through water in addition to shooting ice balls. Super Mario 3D Land introduced the Boomerang Flower, which allows Mario to throw boomerangs at nearby enemies; and the Statue Leaf, which allows Mario to turn to a statue. In New Super Mario Bros. U, a Super Acorn makes its debut. This transforms Mario to his new Flying squirrel form where he can glide and stick on walls. Super Mario 3D World introduced the Super Bell, which transforms Mario into his cat form as well as a Double Cherry to make multiple copies of himself.